The Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected that dental assisting will be among the fastest growing occupations by the year 2018. Increased demand for dental services will be fueled by population growth, fewer older folks needing dentures, and a greater emphasis on preventative dental care for children and adults. The median annual wage of dental assistants was reported to be $32,380 in 2008. That is not bad for a career that requires as little as a nine months to a year of training. That training can be completed in a traditional campus classroom or online.
There are benefits to attending dental assistant school online as well as benefits to traditional campus dental assistant programs. Which one you choose is dependent upon your schedule and your preferred method of learning. If your lifestyle requires a great deal of flexibility for example (perhaps you have young children at home or are employed full time in another career), earning your dental assistant degree online will allow you to complete coursework around your busy schedule. Online dental assistant schools are also ideal for students who learn well on their own and are very self-motivated. If, however, you have time to attend class on a set schedule and enjoy face time with your professors and peers, a traditional classroom dental assistant college should suit you.
If you elect to go with one of the traditional classroom style dental assisting programs, you’ll need to decide on a location. If you’re a recent high school graduate, you likely have fewer ties to any one area and may elect to go to dental assisting school in another city or state. If you have a family, or are employed in another career while training to be a dental assistant, you may want to choose a dental assistant school near your home or place of employment.
Whether you decide to get your dental assistant degree online or from a traditional college, selecting an accredited school is very important. Accreditation basically guarantees that the program you have chosen is of the highest academic quality. The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) has approved more than 280 dental assistant training programs. If you’d like to check whether a school you are considering has been accredited, visit the website of the American Dental Association at www.ada.org.
Your selection of dental assistant college may also depend on the type of program you wish to enroll in. Some schools offer nine month to one-year programs while others offer two-year associates degrees. While you will likely need some on the job training after graduation no matter the length of the program, an associates degree program will generally result in a broader knowledge base.
Budget could also be a determining factor as you sort through dental assistant programs. Tuition and fees will vary between schools, so be sure you have a clear understanding of all the costs of the program you are considering before you enroll. Some schools pay for much of your equipment. Others may pay for your post-graduate certification test. Others may expect you to pay for everything (tuition, fees, books, lab supplies, uniforms, etc.) up front out of your own pocket.
A quick Google search will reveal there are many medical & dental assistant & technician schools to choose from. Selecting the right one for you will help to ensure a quality education and future success in the rewarding field of dental assisting.
